Collapsible furniture



April 13, 1954 E. P. LA KAFF COLLAPSIBLE FURNITURE Filed July 18, 1950 Ifirerzfmr Edward P La Kaff gjrjjla,

Patented Apr. 13, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE FURNITURE Edward P. La Kaff, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 18, 1950,.SerialNo. 174,449

8 Claims.

This invention relates to collapsible furniture such'as cots, stools; chairs, and the like wherea. pair of generally U-shaped frames pivoted together in staggered overlapped relation at the mid points of their end portions have angularly' extending legs on their end portions to form support legs and wherein sheet material, preferably in theform of a tube or endless loop, is mounted on the side legs of the U-shaped frames.

The invention specifically relates to a collapsible cot especially suitable for day nurseries and the'like and having an easily stacked, collapsed position and an opened up reinforced rigid position, wherein the end portion of one U-shaped member overlies the knee of the supporting leg of the other U-shaped member at diagolmilly opposite corners of the cot.

The invention will be hereinafter specifically described as embodied in a collapsible cot, but it should. be understood that the principles of this invention are generally applicable to collapsible furniture and the invention is therefore not limited to. the herein disclosed preferred embodiment'.

In accordance with the invention, a pair of metal tubes are bent into generally U-shape with angularly extending legs on the end portions of the U. These legs are connected through a rounded knee with the end portions of the U. The two frame pieces are pivoted together at the mid-points of their end portions in staggered relation with one end portion of one frame lying within the adjacent end portion of the other frame and the other end portion of said one frame lying outside of the adjacent end portion of the other frame. The end portions are therefore in side by'side relationwith each frame having an outside end portion as well as an in'- side end portion. The light portions of the U- shaped frames receive thereover a tubular sheeti'n'g such as a canvas bandto form-the bed portion of the cot. When the frames are opened up tomove the light portions apart, the canvas band will be positioned in a horizontal plane and the bightportion of one frame will overlap the knee of the other frame at diagonally opposite portions of the cot to provide a rigid support. When the bight portions'are moved together, thesupporting legs will extend in opposite directions to carry the collapsed cot an upright position. The band or tubular sheet can be easily-slipped on and oft of the collapsed frame.

his, then, an objectvof thisxinvention to provide collapsible furniture composedof pivoted together U-shaped members-arranged so as to form a. rigid-- frame overlapped at diagonally opposite corners when in opened up position.

Another object of the invention is to provide collapsible furniture composed of pivoted together U-shaped tubular frames with offset leg defining extensions joined thereto through rounded knees, wherein oneframe overlies theknee'of the other frame at diagonally opposite corners of the assembly when the assembly is opened up for use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible cot composed of two U-shaped piv-- oted together frames and. an easily removable tubular sheet.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a collapsible cot especially suitable for day nursery and the-like-usage wherein staggered pivoted together U-shaped frames removably carry a tubular sheet and are easily'swung from collapsed upright self-supporting position to opened up rigid position.

Other and further objectscf the invention will be apparent to those: skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the annexed.

sheet of drawings, which, by Way of a preferred example only, illustrates one embodiment of the invention.

Onthe drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cot of this invention in open position.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cot in collapsed position.

Figure 3 is a top planviewof the cot in open position.

Figure 4- is anend view of the cot in open position.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the cot in collapsed position.

Figure 6' is an end view of the cot in collapsed position.

As shown on the drawings:

As best shown in the perspective view of Fig ure 1, the cot i0 is composed of two generally U- shaped tubular metal frames I I and I2, a tubular or endless band canvas sheet l3, and pivot studs I4, M; The frame I I has an elongated bight portion Ha, end portions H b, lib extending in the same plane and in the same direction from the bight portion Hat, and offset support legs Hc on the ends of the end portions lb and joined therewith through a rounded knee'portion lid. The frame I! has an identical bight portion 12a, end portions lZb, support legs 12c, and knees l2d. Rubber pads P are mounted on the ends of: the legs.

The pivot studs or bolts I4 connect the frames I I and I 2 in staggered relation at the mid-points of the end portions H12 and I2b thereof. Thus, the end portions I lb and [2b are in side by side relation with one end portion Ilb on the outside of the adjacent end portion IZb, while the other portion I lb is on the inside of the adjacent end portion I212.

When the cot I!) is opened up as shown in Figure 1, one end of the bight portion IIa of the frame I I overlies and rests upon one knee IZd of the frame I2 at one corner of the assembly, while at the opposite diagonal corner of the assembly the bight portion I2a of the frame I2 overlies and rests upon the knee I Id of the frame II. The cot is thereby supported at diagonally opposite points A and B directly above the legs I20 and lie respectively.

The legs [lo and I2c diverge slightly outward from the end portions Ill) and I2!) respectively in obtuse angular relation therewith.

As shown in Figure 2, when the cot I is in collapsed position, the bight portions I la and Hot are moved together and the sheet I3 hangs in a loose loop. The legs I I0 and Ho extend in opposite directions so that their outer faces form supports for the collapsed cot. In this position the band or tube I3 can easily be removed from and mounted on the collapsed frame.

Figures 3 to 6 further illustrate the manner in which the U-shaped frames I! and I2 cooperate in open and in closed position, and show the points of support A and B in the open position as well as the manner in which the sides of the legs form supports for the collapsed position of the cot.

The assembly of this invention is inexpensive, easy to manipulate, rigid when in opened up position, compact when in collapsed position, and includes an easily removable and washable sheeting to form the bed support surface.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A collapsible article of furniture, comprising a pair of U-shaped frames each having a bight portion, two end portions connected to the ends of the bight portion and extending in substantially the same direction and plane, and a leg portion on each of the end portions, means for pivoting the respective end portions of one frame to the respective end portions of the other frame in side-by-side adjacent relation, one end portion of one frame being inside the adjacent end portion of the other frame, and the other end portion of said one frame being outside the adjacent end portion of the other frame, the bight portion of said one frame in open position resting upon one of the adjacent end portions of said other frame and the bight portion of said other frame resting upon one of the adjacent end portions of said one frame, and a tube of flexible sheet material surrounding both bight portions, said tube being a support surface when the bight portions are in open position and being removable by passing over the end portions and leg portions when the bight portions are moved together.

2. A collapsible article of furniture comprising a pair of U-shaped frames each having a bight portion, two end portions extending in the same direction and plane from the bight portion, and two leg portions extending angularly to the plane of said bight portion and two end portions and each connected to one of said end portions, means for pivoting the respective end portions of one frame to the respective end portions of the other frame in side-by-side relation, one end portion of one frame being between the end portions of the other frame and the opposite end portion of said one frame being outside the end portions of said other frame, the bight portion of said one frame resting upon one of the end portions of said other frame, and the bight portion of said other frame resting upon one of the end portions of said one frame in open, non-collapsed position of the frames.

3. A collapsible article of furniture comprising U-shaped tubular metal frames having bight portions and end portions extending in the same direction and in the same plane and offset legs extending in obtuse angular relationship to the end portions, means pivoting the end portions together in sideby-side relation at substantially the mid-points thereof with one end portion of one frame lying outside the end portions of the other frame and with the other end portion of said one frame lying inside the end portions of the other frame, whereby when said frames are opened up the bight portions will overlie and rest upon the end portions at diagonally opposite corners adjacent the offset legs and when said frame is in collapsed position said offset legs will hold the bight portions in side-by-side relation.

4. A collapsible cot comprising a pair of tubular metal U-shaped frames, each frame having a bight portion, a pair of end portions extending in the same direction and in the same plane and offset leg portions in obtuse angular relationship to the end portions, means pivoting the end portions together in side-by-side relation at the midpoints thereof, one end portion of one frame lying within the other frame at one end of the assembly and the other end portion of said one frame lying outside said other frame at the other end of the assembly, said offset leg portions being joined with said end portions along rounded knee areas, the bight portion of said one frame overlying the knee area of said other frame at said other end of the assembly when the cot is in open position, and the bight portion of said other frame overlying the end portion of said one frame at said one end of the assembly, the offset leg portions having ends forming feed for the cot in open position, said offset leg portions having side surfaces forming supports for the cot in collapsed position, and a tubular sheet mounted on the bight portions to form the support surface for the cot in open position and being removable over the end portions when the frame is in collapsed position.

5. A collapsible cot comprising a pair of U- shaped frames having end portions pivoted together at the mid-points thereof and each frame having an end portion within the other frame and an end portion outside the other frame, an offset leg on the end of each end portion extending generally at right angles thereto, said legs forming substantially upright supports for the frames when the end portions are swung into a horizontal plane and forming laterally extending supports when the end portions are swung into a vertical plane, and sheet material on said frames forming a support surface.

6. A collapsible article of furniture, comprising a pair of U-shaped frames each having a bight portion, two end portions connected to the bight portion and a leg portion on each of the end portions, means for pivoting the respective end portions of one frame to the respective end portions of the other frame in side-by-sid'e adjacent relation, one end portion of one frame being inside the adjacent end portion of the other frame at the pivoting means thereof, and the other end portion of said one frame being outside the adjacent end portion of the other frame at the pivoting means thereof, the bight portion of said one frame in open position of the article resting upon at least one of the end portions of said other frame and the bight portion of said other frame resting upon at least one of the end portions of said one frame, and a tube of flexible sheet material surrounding both bight portions, said tube being a support surface when the bight portions are in open position and being removable by passing over the end portions and leg portions when the bight portions are moved together.

7. A collapsible article of furniture, comprising a pair of U-shaped frames each having a bight portion, two end portions connected to the bight portion and a leg portion on each of the end portions, means for pivoting the respective end portions of one frame to the respective end portions of the other frame in side-by-side adjacent relation, one end portion of one frame being inside the adjacent end portion of the other frame at the pivoting means thereof, and the other end portion of said one frame being outside the adjacent end portion of the other frame at the pivoting means thereof, and the bight portion of said one frame in open position of the articl resting upon at least one of the end.

portions of said other frame and the bight portion of said other frame resting upon at least one of the end portions of said one frame.

8. A furniture article comprising: a pair of generally U-shaped frames having generally parallel bight portions together defining a support and having transverse end portions pivotally connected for relative pivotal movement of said frames about an axis generally parallel to and equally spaced from said bight portions, each of said end portions having means arranged for projecting in a direction angularly related to a plane through said bight portions when they are in open position for contacting a support surface to space said bight portions therefrom, and at least one end portion of each frame engaging and supporting a part of the other frame in operative position of the article.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Jan. 22, 1926 Italy Aug. 31, 1932 France Jan. 2, 1941 Number D. 156,008 544,535 623,8 14 2,502,? 52

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